The present invention relates to the automatic creation of an electronic phone directory via Caller Identification (xe2x80x9cCaller IDxe2x80x9d) data and via manual dialing of telephone calls. It also relates to remote access of Caller ID and directory data, either via a dedicated hand-held unit, or via audible means over an ordinary telephone.
Caller ID service has become popular in recent years. Most Caller ID units have a Caller ID memory, and the data of the incoming calls is stored into the memory in a xe2x80x9cfirst-in-first-outxe2x80x9d sequence, i.e. when the memory is full, the data of the oldest caller is erased to make room to store the data of a new incoming call. Some units also have a second memory for permanent storage of data transferred from the Caller ID memory. However, the transfer is usually manually actuated. Furthermore, to access the Caller ID memory, the present Caller ID products use a xe2x80x9cscroll upxe2x80x9d and a xe2x80x9cscroll downxe2x80x9d key. This method of access is not convenient when the capacity of the memory is large and full of numbers.
The number of a caller sent by the phone company usually includes an area code of the area where the call originates, even if it is a local call. Thus, for local call-back dialing, the area code may have to be excluded. To exclude the dialing of the area code, many Caller ID units require the storage of area code numbers of the user""s location into the memory. When the caller makes a call, the unit will compare the area code of the dialed number with the stored area codes. If they are the same, the area code will not be dialed. As quite a few area codes have to be pre-stored, particularly with the advent of xe2x80x9coverlayxe2x80x9d area codes, the manual storage of area codes is also tedious.
Moreover, xe2x80x9ctalking Caller IDxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cvoice Caller IDxe2x80x9d devices exist which plays an audible announcement of the Caller ID information when a call is received, or when reviewing a Caller ID from a list. The number and/or name of the Caller ID is played using voice, so that the user can know the identity of the caller just by listening to the announcement, without having to look at the display screen of the caller ID device. However, such techniques are useful only when the user is at his/her home or office. The voice announcement of Caller ID can only be heard if the user is at the same room/location as the Caller ID device. If the user is on-the-road or otherwise in a remote location, the Caller ID information becomes inaccessible. Similarly, there is no easy way for a user to remotely access the directory stored at a telephone located at a user""s home or office.
The present invention provides an improved electronic telephone directory that provides a telephone user greater convenience than is available with prior art units.
The first aspect of the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for automatic selection of those important/frequently used phone numbers and for automatic transfer of them to a permanent memory. A phone number related to certain operation is defined as an important/frequently used number under one or more of the following criteria:
(1) a number from Caller ID memory has been called back for one or more than xe2x80x9cnxe2x80x9d times within a certain length of time;
(2) a Caller ID number has been received repeatedly after and before a certain length of time (e.g. after 5 hrs and before 48 hrs.) for 2 or more than xe2x80x9cnxe2x80x9d times;
(3) a number is repeatedly dialed out after and before a certain length of time (e.g. after 5 hrs and before 24 hrs.) for 2 or more than xe2x80x9cnxe2x80x9d times;
(4) the last 7 digits of a manually dial out number is found to be matched with the last 7 digits of a number in Caller ID memory; and
(5) For Caller ID on call waiting, that is, a Caller ID of a third party which is received while the user is already engaged in a telephone call, the user has at least 2 options to handle this new call. One option is to ignore this new call, and the other option is to accept the new call and switch to talk to the third party. If the present invention detects and records that a user has manually accepted such a call-waiting, the number found in the Caller ID on call waiting of this call is auto determined to be an important telephone number.
Another aspect of the invention is directed to automatic deletion of numbers. When the memory is full, those numbers which have not been dialed for 6 or xe2x80x9cnxe2x80x9d months or those with least dialing times are automatically deleted except those numbers which with VIP flag are kept for permanent storage.
Yet another aspect of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for automatic storage of a list of area codes. All received Caller ID numbers will be compared with a list of manual dial out and actual call back numbers. The area codes will be extracted and then add to the memory list of area codes.
A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for remote access of Caller ID and directory data. In a first embodiment, a portable hand-held unit is provided to allow the user to access Caller ID and directory information when the user is on-the-road.
In accordance with other factors, the invention enables remote access of Caller ID""s and possible directory information by a portable hand-held unit, or by playing a voice announcement of Caller ID and directory data to an ordinary telephone via telephone line.